Off-duty Vic cops pull man from the Yarra

Four off-duty police have pulled an elderly man from the Yarra River after he jumped in to cool off despite not being able to swim.

The officers were cycling near Alexandra Avenue on Wednesday morning when they saw a man struggling in the water, a police spokeswoman said.

They jumped in and pulled the man onto the bank where he was treated by paramedics and taken to The Alfred Hospital for observation.

Police say the man jumped from the Church Street Bridge to cool off but quickly found himself in trouble as he could not swim.

Temperatures in Melbourne hit 40C on Wednesday.